Carrying device for cans



Feb. 26, 1957 E. L. GOENEN 2,7 ,9

CARRYING DEVICE FOR CANS Filed March 7, 1955 INVENTOR EDWARD L.GOENEN ATTORNEYS CARRYINGDE'VICE FOR CANS Edward L. Goenen, Appleton, Wis.

Application March 7, 1955, Serial No. 492,575

4 Claims. '(Cl. 206-165) The herein disclosed inventionrelates to assembly devices and particularlyto devicesused for holding a .plurality of cans in assembled relation. The invention further employs a handle 'attached to "the assembly device by means of Which-the cans may be conveniently carried about as a group.

An object of the invention resides in providing a simple and practical assembly device for cans whereby .a number of cans can be held together for the purpose of storage or carrying about.

Another object of the invention resides in providing an assembly device-having two attaching members overlying the ends of the adjoining cans and provided with fingers extending within the inner confines of the rims of the cans.

A still further object of the invention resides providing a connecting member in the form of 'a rod extending between the cans'and connected tothe attaching members 'for'holding the same from movement away from one another.

Another object of the invention resides in providing a handle attached to one end of the connecting member.

Other objects of the invention reside in the novel combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter illustrated and/or described.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of six cans illustrating an embodiment of the inventionapplied thereto.

Fig. 2 is an elevational sectional view taken substantially on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of 'four cans showing a slightly diflerent type of assembly device attached thereto.

Fig. 4 is an elevational sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3 and drawn to a greater scale.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of one of .the attachingmembers detached from the connecting rod.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of amodification of the invention.

The construction shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 6'includes an assembly device 20 which is adapted to be used with four cans .10, 11, 12 and 13. These cans aresimilar in construction and only the can 10, which is partly illustrated in Fig. 4, will be described. This can comprises a lateral Wall structure 14 and which is connected to upper and lower end walls 15 and 16. This wall structure is formed with outwardly turned flanges 17 and over which the marginal portion of the end walls 15 and 16 are bent to form rims 18 and 19 at the upper and lower ends of the cans and which project outwardly beyond the end walls 15 and 16.

The assembly device 2&1 consists of two attaching members 21 and 22 constructed of sheet metal and being in the form of plates, the attaching member 21 being shown in detail in Fig. 5. This member is bent to form four fingers 23 extending outwardly therefrom. In the center of the member is formed a circular hole 24 which is in- 2 ,782 ,9 1 6 "Patented .Feb. 26, .1957

ice

'tersected by'slots 25 on either .side thereof. Thezting ers 23 are so shaped and proportioned that .whenthe .memher is laid upon the four cans the .fingersare received within'the inner confines of-the rims 18 .of vthecansand when held in position preventmovement.of..the cans away .from one another. The member 22 is similar to the-member 21 except that the slots 25 are dispensed with. .The member 22 is applied to the lower ends of the .cansin exactly the same manner as the member 21.

The attaching membersj21 and 22 are. heldfrom-movement away from one another'bymeanscf a connecting member 26. This connecting member is constructed from heavy wire or a metal rod and comprises :a shank 27 which extends through the holes 24in the attaching members 21 and 22. A head 28 on the lowermost end of the shank 27 forms a shoulder for engagementwith the attaching member '21. The shank.27 is constructed intermediate its ends with a fiat 29 provided witha transverse aperture 31. The portion of the connection member 26 extending beyond the fiat 29 and indicated by .the reference numeral 32 is constructed witha handle .33 in the form of a loophaving a lower ofiset portion-.34., .an

upperreach 35, and end reaches 36 therebetween. From one of the end reaches 36, a latching member 37 extends,

which is in the form of a bolt adapted to'be received .in 'the'aperture 31 to lock the various partsin place. The connecting member 26, as stated, 'is constructed of wire or metal rod bent into the desired form and which has sufiicient resiliency to permit of inserting the latching member 37 into the aperture 31 or removing the same therefrom.

Theattaching members21 and 22 are normally .applied-to the shank 27and remain attached-thereto. Member 22 rests upon the'head 28 while memberZl is slid upwardly'to the portion 32 of connecting member 26 ture 31. This looks the member 21 in position and prevents movement of the vmembers 21 and 22 away from one another. The cans are now held in assembled relation and maybe stored or carried about as desired.

In Figs. 1 and 2 a modification of the invention has been illustrated which serves .to assemble six cans and which utilizes two assembly devices 38 and 39. These devices are quite similar to the assembly device 20 shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5 and the description of the corresponding-parts will not be repeated but will be designated by the same-reference numerals preceded by the digit 1. In this view six cans 41, 42, 43, 44, 45 and 46 have been shown. The connecting members 126 of these devices are constructed with finger engaging loops 47 and 48 which are similar to the handles 23 excepting that the same are offset and lie completely on one side of the portions 132 of the shank 127. These loops form in conjunction a handle indicated in its entirety by the reference numeral 49. The attaching members 121 and 122 of the assembly device 38 engages the cans 41, 42, 45 and 46. The attaching members 121 and 122 of the assembly device 39 correspondingly engage the cans 42, 43, 44 and 45. It will readily become apparent that six cans may be assembled instead of four with this form of the invention.

In Fig. 6 a modification of the invention has been shown in which the entire assembly device is constructed from wire. The wire is formed intermediate its ends with a straight portion providing a shank 51. This shank has issuing at its ends two radial arms 52 and 53. Issuing from said arms are annuli 54 and 55 which are concentric with the shank 51. These annuli have facing fingers 56 which serve the same purpose as the fingers 23 of the attaching members 21 and 22 of the other forms of the invention. The annulus 54 has an inwardly turned radial arm 57 which terminates in a vetrical stub 58. This stub has formed on the end of it a handle 59 serving the pur- 1 pose of the handle 33 of the form of the invention shown in Figs. 3 and 4. The material from which the assembly device shown in Fig. 6 is constructed is of suflicient resiliency so that the fingers 56 can be sprung over and within the rims 18 and 19 of the cans with which the device is to be used. Where six cans are to be assembled two assembly devices are employed and the handles caused to overlap. The method of use of the form of the invention shown in Fig. 6 is substantially the same as that previously described.

The advantages of the invention are manifest. The re- 7 quired number of cans can be quickly assembled for the purpose of carrying or storage by the application of the assembly device thereto. The assembly devices are easily and quickly applied and the cans can be readily removed therefrom when required for use. The devices are inexpensive to manufacture and can be used instead of the carrying cartons now generally employed for the purpose. When the bolt or latching member 37, forming part of the handle 33, is received Within the aperture 31 on the.

connecting member 21, the parts are firmly secured together and there is little danger of the cans becoming disengaged from the assembly device.

Changes in the specific form of the invention, as herein described, may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is:

1. In combination with a plurality of juxtaposed cans, each having a lateral wall structure, end walls at the ends of the lateral wall structure and rims at the locality of said lateral wall structure extending outwardly beyond said end walls and connecting said end walls to said lateral wall structure, an assembly device comprising an elongated shank, radial arms extending outwardly from the ends of said shank, annuli issuing from said arms and fingers projecting from said annuli and extending within the inner confines of said rims and holding the cans from outward movement, said assembly device being resilient and yielding to accommodate forcing the fingers on one annulus over the rims of the corresponding cans and maintain the cans in assembled relation and a handle secured to one of said annuli.

2. In combination with a plurality of juxtaposed cans, each having a lateral wall structure, end walls at the ends of the lateral wall structure and rims at the locality of said lateral wall structure extending outwardly beyond said end walls and connecting said end walls to said lateral wall structure, an assembly device comprising an elonthe inner confines of said rims and holding the cans from outward movement, said shank, arms, annuli and fingers being integral, said assembly device being resilient and yielding to accommodate forcing the fingers on one annulus over the rims of the corresponding cans and maintain the cans in assembled relation and a handle secured to one of said annuli.

3. In combination with a plurality of juxtaposed cans, each having a lateral wall structure, end walls at the ends of the lateral wall structure and rims at the locality of said lateral wall structure extending outwardly beyond said end walls and connecting said end walls to said lateral wall structure, an assembly device constructed of resilient wire and comprising an elongated shank, bends at the upper and lower ends of said shank and forming outwardly extending radial arms extending outwardly from the ends of said shank, other bends formed at the other ends of said arms, upper and lower annuli issuing from said last named bends and concentric with said shank, said annuli having circumferentially spaced sets of bends therein forming fingers extending longitudinally of said shank and extending within the inner confines of said rims and holding the cans from outward movement, said assembly yielding to accommodate forcing the fingers on one annulus over the rims of the corresponding cans and maintain the cans in assembled relation and a handle secured to one of said annuli.

4. In combination with a plurality of juxtaposed cans, each having a lateral wall structure, end walls at the ends of the lateral wall structure and rims at the locality of said lateral wall structure extending outwardly beyond said end walls and connecting said end walls to said lateral wall structure, an assembly device constructed of resilient wire and comprising an elongated shank, bends at the upper and lower ends of said shank and forming outwardly extending radial arms extending outwardly from the ends of said shank, other bends formed at the other ends of said arms, upper and lower annuli issuing from said last named bends and concentric with said shank, said annuli having circumferentially spaced sets I of bends therein forming fingers extending longitudinally gated shank, radial arms extending outwardly from the ends of said shank, annuli issuing from said arms and of said shank and extending within the inner confines of said rims and holding the cans from outward movement, said assembly yielding to accommodate forcing the fingers v on one annulus over the rims of the corresponding cans and maintain the cans in assembled relation, said upper annulus having a bend providing an inwardly extending radial arm and a handle secured to the innermost end of said last named arm.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 193,479 Burgen July 24, 1877 603,455 Pinney May 3, 1898 1,477,818 Gerlat Dec. 18, 1923 1,698,489 Bickford Jan. 8, 1929 2,285,801 Burnet June 9, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS 925,435 France Mar. 31, 1947 

